Hannah’s Elijah Craig Barrel Proof C917 Review
Original review written on October 6, 2019
GENERAL DESCRIPTION:
One of my favorites of the limited releases from Elijah Craig. I am sad to report that it has poured its last Glencairn. Wet met, my friend. Would buy again IF ever found. 92/100
VITALS:
– Made in: Kentucky, USA
– Distiller: Heaven Hill Distillery
– Classification: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey; Small Batch; Barrel Proof
– Age: 12 yrs.
– Mash Bill: Corn=78%; Malted Barley=12%; Rye=10%
– Casks: Barrel char #3
– Barrel Entry Proof: 125
– ABV: 65.5% (131 proof)
– Price: $59.95 USD in Idaho
Visit heavenhill.com for more information
ENJOYMENT METHOD:
I enjoyed the juice neat from a Glencairn glass with father and fellow Whiskey for the Ages reviewer, Brian.
Check out his review for this bourbon here!
SETTING:
This bourbon could very well be enjoyed at the end of a rodeo, mixed with all of the adrenaline, warmth, and excitement you’d find under the bright stadium lights surrounded by loud cheering.
Photo by Gilles Rolland-Monnet on Unsplash
NOSE:
The first whiff is surprisingly not an overbearing alcohol, despite this bourbon being such a high proof. But don’t get over-confident; you could get hurt. A very yeasty, dark bread greets the nose with lighter fruits sitting just behind. A deeper, cautious inhale allows graham crackers, brown sugar, and oak to emerge.
PALATE:
– Mouth feel: Full and rich – crazy warm
– Balance: Complex
– Visual: Mahogany in color with a clinging circle of crown. The legs are quick to run off.
– Taste: While negotiable on the nose, the alcohol demands to be acknowledged and respected. The oak, somewhat sweet in taste, blooms after a moment and is incredibly warming. Cloves and other savory spices manage to somehow both be subtle on the palate as well as sinus-clearing.
Other leathery tones make you want to bite down hard for Kentucky chew. And a warm, salted-caramel can be found if you really dedicate yourself to that Kentucky chew risk.
This doesn’t coax a lot of fruit, but if you squint, a green grape may make a cameo appearance for a second.
The overall warmth of this is really overpowering, but boy is it enjoyable.
FINISH:
– Lasting power: Very long and you get more depth and feel as you go. The warmth settles deep in the chest and radiates up and through the body. What a happy feel.
– No More: Spicy oak permeates the empty glass and gives you all the warmth you could ever look for. One feels as though they want to find a C917 stave to snuggle into.
COMPARISON NOTES:
I experimented with this bourbon a bit, pitting it up against other tri-annual iterations of Barrel Proof batches: A118 and B518. I found this one to be my favorite.
WORTH THE PRICE?
Yes
RATING: 92/100
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